Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - They 'rejoice with' Robert at Roger Fry's success [his appointment as Curator of Paintings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York]; glad that Robert will not lose his friend but see so much of him when he comes to England. Thinks Fry's father [Sir Edward] did a 'very fine thing' in returning money [part of his remuneration, to the Metropolitan Water Board] the other day; the 'disinterestedness' it demonstrated has much declined recently. Glad that Campbell-Bannerman's government has taken the step of 'revindicating honesty and public spirit'; was 'disgraceful' of Balfour to reverse the last Liberal government's veto on [ministers] keeping directorships. Agrees with Robert in looking forward to the parliamentary session, especially to the Budget. Sir George and Caroline want to give Robert and Elizabeth a 'minute interest in the Budget' by paying them fifty pounds twice a year instead of making good the income tax on their allowance. Went to the British Museum on Saturday and found a 'Liberal atmosphere' everywhere in London; Welby and Sir Courtenay Ilbert 'seemed to breathe very freely in it'. Has finished Catullus and will read the "[Appendix] Virgiliana" today.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Thanks for Robert's 'jolly' letter; agrees that these are 'great times'. George has just returned from Richmond, the 'beautiful hill-town which Turner so often painted'; the victory [for the Liberals] there and at Stratford are 'almost the most satisfactory of the lot'; gives a detailed description of the Stratford candidate [Thomas Kincaid-Smith], who was a 'perfect godsend'. Caroline was 'of great service' and their 'hold on the neighbourhood came very strongly out'; a 'great blessing' they were there and not in Rome or Northumberland. Much interested to hear about [William] Everett's letters; has been reading Catullus and realising his aristocratic status for the first time, and that the people he satirises are not 'the middle class rag tag and bobtail' of Martial and Juvenal but men who would have 'histories, many of them tragical ones'. Caroline is in London today at a Women's Liberal Committee. Notes in a postscript that they were very interested to hear about Bessy's cousins [the Hubrechts?].
End House, Chiltern Road, Chesham Bois. - The Goodens were very pleased to have Trevelyan's 'book of translations' [this year's "From the Shiffolds"?]; thinks it an 'admirable idea for a Christmas card'. Enjoyed reading "Moretum" and found it 'full of life'; the part about Sisyphus getting his garlicky breakfast was 'very entertaining'. The translation of "Ave atque vale" [Catullus 101] is also 'beautiful'; likes the Petronius. Lovely having Lucy and Sam [Luce-Clausen?] over; they were very brave to 'face such abominable travelling conditions'. Sends best wishes for 1947.
British Broadcasting Corporation, Broadcasting House, London, W.1; sent to Trevelyan c/o Lady Trevelyan, Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth, Northumberland. - Thanks Trevelyan for his letter; he is right to assume he will be reading his translations as well as the script for his talk on Catullus.
14 Calverley Park, Tunbridge Wells. -Thanks Trevelyan for sending him his book ["The Bride of Dionysus"]; he makes 'the old legends live again'. Wonders if the opera has been performed yet, as Trevelyan says the music [by Donald Tovey] is completed; will look out for notices. Trevelyan's vers libre does not appeal to him, but 'poets have every right to try experiments', and he is right to use it if it seems most suitable to him. Is perhaps most interested by Trevelyan's 'handling of hex. metre [hexameter]' in his version of Lucretius, which seems to use six accents rather than regular feet; has doubts, which also apply to [Robert] Bridges, [Henry] Newbolt, [Lascelles] Abercrombie and others, whether speech-accent gives 'sufficient certainty'; discusses with examples. Otherwise he admires the lines as a 'scholarly exercise'. Has never understood the metre of "Attys" [Catullus 63], in the original or in other translations; amuses him to 'what different views' people seem to have. Has written a great deal about metre: this is not the sole criterion for judging poetry, but he does take it seriously, for 'is it not that alone which differentiates it from prose?'; perhaps that is why he thinks the lines from [Sophocles's] "Ajax" most successful. Remembers Trevelyan quoting the chorus [from the "Bride of Dionysus" itself] on page 13 to him. Hopes that the Trevelyans are well; he and his wife much enjoyed last summer and hope for more of the same this year. Have been at home all winter 'as usual', but now thinking of travelling, though after the Browning centenary celebration in Westminster which they hope to go to; wonders if they will see Trevelyan there. Has written little this winter apart from correspondence and a few reviews and 'letters to weeklies etc'; encloses something about hexameters from the "Modern Literary Review", which gives copies of articles instead of cash payments ["Homer's Odyssey: A Line-for-Line Translation in the Metre of the Original by H. B. Cotterill", The Modern Language Review", Vol. 7, No. 2 (Apr., 1912), pp. 257-262; no longer present]. Was glad to get [Henry Bernard] Cotterill's book for review as it is published only in an expensive edition, but was disappointed by his verse; had hoped for better from things he had written about prosody. Trevelyan's brother [George] has had a 'grand success' with his books about Garibaldi, which he himself has read with 'delight' and 'reviving of old enthusiasms', while Trevelyan's father is still writing new books and having old books republished.
Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland. - Encloses a letter from [William] Everett which is mostly about Robert; asks if his recollection that [Edward] Bowen used "Phaselus" [Catullus 4] 'as a special penalty for some particular sin' is correct.
Thanks Hassall for his letter; will be at the BBC on 27 August at 4.30. Sees in the "Radio Times" that Rex Warner will have a reader for his Lucretius talk; checks if he himself will be reading his script and translations.
College Park, Belfast.—Submits a translation of Catullus’s ode ‘De Arrio’ for inclusion in the Journal, emphasising its philological interest.
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Transcript
College Park, Belfast
20th Sep. ’80.
Gentlemen {1},
I do not suppose that you often publish translations in the ‘Journal of Philology’ {1}: but the original of the one which I enclose {2}, possesses a special philological interest. In spite of its modern look, I think you will find my rendering of Catullus’s ‘De Arrio’ a pretty close translation of the original.
A correspondent has asked me whether “The subject of false aspirants has ever been properly examined?”: and remarks, “There is no trace of it in English Literature that I am aware of until the time of Dickens.”
Unfortunately I possess no information on this point.
Perhaps the insertion in your journal of my translation (if sufficiently meritorious) might lead to the careful investigation of a subject which, although it ought to be of great interest to philologers, has probably never attracted the attention which it deserves.
I may add that although Catullus here refers only to false aspiration, it is quite possible that the parallelism between Arrius and our ’Arry is complete. For if Arrius dropped his Hs. his doing so would hardly attract comment, owing to the weakness of the aspirate in Latin. In fact Catullus’s horror at the undue use of the aspirate is an indirect proof of the weakness of H in the Latin language as spoken in his time.
I have the honour to be, Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
S. W. Smith Rogers
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The men addressed were evidently the editors of the Journal of Philology, namely W. Aldis Wright, Ingram Bywater, and Henry Jackson.
{1} Opening inverted comma supplied.
{2} Add. MS a. 74/14/9.
Title taken from the first line of Catullus 5. With corrections in red ink and comments (eg. 'Capital') in pencil. Note at end reads 'v.g. To Mr [G. H.?] Hallam'
Title taken from the first line of Catullus 5. 70/71 is another version, probably the original, with corrections by ? a Harrow teacher; this version takes the corrections into account and, for example, omits the last couplet.
British Broadcasting Corporation, Broadcasting House, London, W.1. - Glad to hear Trevelyan has been able to lengthen his script on Catullus; hopes it was not too much trouble, and is sure it will be just right. Asks Trevelyan to send the script with additions before the end of next week as it needs to be copied and distributed; will send a copy as soon as possible, with details of the studio and rehearsal. Looks forward to meeting him on 27 August.
Newnham College, Cambridge. - Her thanks for Trevelyan's 'beautiful verses' ["The Bride of Dionysus"] delayed as she has been away in Switzerland; they have given him 'quite peculiar pleasure because of the Orphism. It somehow... gives one quite a new confidence in the reality of one's theories' to find they 'are the stuff of which poetry can be made'. Enjoyed the poem all through, 'not just the Orphic bits', and also the "Attys" [Trevelyan's translation of Catullus 63]. Wishes he had come on 'that absurd ship the Dunottar [Castle, on which Harrison had taken a cruise along the Greek coast with Logan Pearsall Smith earlier that year]; had heard there was some chance of it.
Beginning of letter missing. Translation of Catullus 4 ['Phaselus ille...', published as The Schooner from Catullus in Polyphemus and Other Poems, 1901]. Comments that if he could 'write poems of [his] own as good as the original of that, [he] should not do badly'. Asks her to tell G[eorge] that he will probably not be at Ravello later than the end of February; supposes George 'would scarcely be back from Egypt by then', and they would probably meet around Florence, though George will know his own movements better later.
Il Frullino, Via Camerata, Florence:- Is 'settled here very comfortably' and will certainly stay 'well into January', when he may 'perhaps go on to Ravello'. Mrs Costelloe is still here, though will go to England soon; nobody else is here but [Bernard] Berenson at present. Sees few people but the Rosses; Mrs Ross was pleased Robert's parents found her book 'interesting'. She is 'very amusing and gives wonderful lunches, having a genius for [a] cook'; Robert likes 'the old boy [Henry Ross' too]'. There is also Janet Ross's niece, Miss [Lina] Duff Gordon, whom he thinks he told his mother about last year. She is 'a great beauty, and very charming though a trifle dull', and Robert 'should have been bound to fall in love long ago' if he had been 'given that way'; but his mother 'need not be afraid'.
Has done some work recently, mainly on his 'book of translations'; gives his translation of Catullus 34. Acknowledges that this does not have 'the charming simplicity of the original', but doesn't 'think it half bad' metrically; must 'try and do something... like it' of his own. Is 'beginning at the play [his Cecilia Gonzaga?] again'. Hopes his mother is having a good winter, and that 'Papa will have some fun among the pheasants'. The weather here is 'quite cold... but fine'. Berenson says they should send [the picture of Sir George Trevelyan by Holl, see 46/64] to Dyers of Mount Street, as Agnews 'would only send it to somewhere of the kind and charge more' and 'Dyers are quite safe'.
The 'danger of the mutilation of Florence has been postponed but not averted'; fears 'they want to pull down a lot in order to make a grand modern street up to the Ponte Vecchio, and then put a grand new iron bridge in its stead, which may the Gods, or rather the Saints avert'.
British Broadcasting Corporation, Broadcasting House, London, W.1. - Very 'grateful' to Trevelyan for writing and delivering his script so quickly; very much likes it as it gives a 'vivid impression of the man and its work'. On reading it aloud it only came to eighteen minutes, and the ideal length is twenty three minutes; feels they should add about three and a half pages in Trevelyan's typed script. The Lucretius and Horace scripts [for earlier talks in the same series] quote the original Latin; suggests that Trevelyan does not disrupt his 'so well constructed script' by interpolation, but elaborates on his sentences at the end on Catullus's 'less ambitious lyrics', with quotations in both Latin and translation. Loves the translations Trevelyan has already included. Does not want to be a 'nuisance' to someone as 'exemplary' as Trevelyan, but thinks a longer script will be necessary; sure he will be glad to have the chance to say more about this 'great poet'. The rehearsal time will be on Trevelyan's contract; thinks it will be at 4.30 pm on 27 August, at Broadcasting House.
The Mill House, Stanford Dingley, nr Reading, Berks. - Thanks Trevelyan very much for his letter [after the death of Logan Pearsall Smith]: 'refreshing & comforting to hear from someone who truly understands the circumstances'. Expects Trevelyan remembers that after the trip to Iceland, Gathorne-Hardy 'printed a little pamphlet with an essay by Logan called "Death in Iceland"', an 'ironically suitable' title. Is trying for his own 'ease of mind' to 'cultivate the thought' that this was true, as 'the old Logan that one could love really did die in Iceland'. After a few years of quiet, 'one could almost believe in the old superstitious fancies about possession', as Logan seemed to be 'inhabited by a devilish caricature of himself, increasingly cruel, sly, treacherous & malicious'. The occasional 'flashes' of his old self became 'rarer & shorter', and the last months were 'ghastly'. Describes his last visits. Keeps telling himself that Logan was 'mad, stark mad', and hopes in time to be able to put this period to the back of his head and 'remember more calmly the happy times before the war'. Alys had 'worse insults & accusations to endure' than he did, but thinks he 'caught it the worst' after her. On comparing dates, they found that Logan's decline seemed to start in 1940, and accelerate in the autumn of 1941; he started by saying things he knew would be hurtful, this turned into accusations, 'lately he had been throwing up the most astonishing grievances - trivial, garbled or downright delusory, & most of them 10 or 12 years old'. Asks Trevelyan to forgive him for this 'outpouring', provoked by the 'kindness & understanding' in his letter. This is all the more appreciated after Gathorne-Hardy has been so 'rude & neglectful' in not thanking him for the poems he has sent ["From the Shiffolds"]; was working hard, thought they deserved a proper letter of appreciation, but never managed to write it.
The most 'remarkable' thing about the poems is the 'spring-like burgeoning of beauty in one who is no longer even middle-aged... one of the most enchanting revivals of art' he has witnessed; Trevelyan has 'caught a lovely & lively tone of voice'. Would make the criticism that Catullus's "Odi et amo" should only even be a couplet; gives his own version; praises the most recent pamphlet. Thanks Trevelyan once more for the kind letter and invitation; would love to accept some time but is busy with a number of things at home as well as helping Alys. Met Trevelyan's son recently when he was staying with a friend nearby.
Recto of front endpaper bears, in the hand of the young R. C. Trevelyan, "History of Cogiliac"; the verso begins "Chapter I" with a summary of the contents followed by the first lines of the main text; the next page seems to have a sketch map of Trevelyan's imaginary island, but there is nothing further of this work in the book.
From the other end of the book is written out a later verse drama, first entitled "Septimius" [44v-39r]; this title is crossed out and "Maya" substituted. Poem is a verse dialogue between Cinna and Septimius. A translation by Trevelyan of Catullus XLV, in which Septimius and his lover Acme appear, follows. ["Maya" appeared in "Beelzebub and Other Poems", published in 1935, see e.g. 16/181].
Is sending Hassall his script [for his BBC talk on Catullus) in good time; has read it aloud several times and it seems to take about twenty-five minutes; suggests the passage from Swinburne could be left out, and has also marked four lines in pencil he could take out from the "Attis" translation [Catullus 63].
Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - Bessie's letter of Wednesday arrived this morning. Suggests she catches an earlier train to avoid crowding. Glad Bessie 'got a better impression of Litty [?] and had some interesting talk with her'; afraid he 'did not succeed in getting on easy terms with her'. Bessie can now have a rest before Wallington, though the house is not noisy despite the 'swarms of children'. Marjorie has just come with her family; Kitty is away for a few days from Monday, but will be back soon and see Bessie. The radio is working again, but he does not think it is much good for the [BBC] third programme. [Christopher] Hassall has sent him his script [for a programme on Catullus], typed by the BBC, and wants Bob to read both script and translations. Went to see John Dower a couple of days ago, and is going again today by bus; will walk back. John wants to show him some new poems; he is in bed, but likes company though it makes him tired. Pauline is 'very admirable'. Thinks Philip would get on well with Oliver and Diana [Lodge]; luckily he is too young 'for Oliver to indoctrinate him with his aesthetics'. Is trying to arrange to dine with Irene [Cooper Willis] on Tuesday night; has booked a room at the National Liberal Club.
40 Stephensonstraat, Den Haag. - Des not know how long ago Trevelyan sent him his Bride of Dionysus, but knows he has taken a long time to acknowledge the 'friendly gift'. Hopes to write a short notice in the Dutch fortnightly periodical in which he wrote about a former work of Trevelyan's.
Read Trevelyan's most recent volume 'with much pleasure and interest': the title poem 'contains many fine parts'; thinks he likes The Rooks, The Thrush's Song, Dirge II best among the shorter poems, and especially the translation of Catullus' Attis [Carmina 63], 'in which the ring of the original is repeatedly felt and heard'. Also appreciated the translations of Alcman and Lucretius, both of whom he also has attempted to translate.
Hopes Trevelyan's wife is well.
Thanks Hassall for his letter. Would like to use his own translations of seven short poems, and possibly a few lines from the "Attis" (Catullus 63); is not using anybody else's translations [for his BBC talk on Catullus). Has almost finished his script and will send it in a few days so Hassall will have ample time to 'criticise and suggest alterations'
The Cloisters, Eton College, Windsor. - Very good of Trevelyan to send his poems ["The Bride of Dionysus"; will write again when he has read them; is particularly interested in the poem he has 'come to know as "Ariadne" & want to hear as well as read' [in Donald Tovey's operatic version]. Has been correcting a proof of his Catullus translation yesterday, and 'took the opportunity of helping myself to a word here and there'. Trevelyan's version is 'faultless in diction'; Warre Cornish only misses more of the 'scatter of short syllables at the end', as Tennyson used to say; Tennyson also damaged Warre Cornish's 'grateful dignity' by saying 'I daresay you [emphasised] think galliambics are a trochaic metre'.
Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - They are in 'the full Saturnalia'; likes such 'famous anniversaries'; discusses the Roman festival. Has now read through Martial again, 'almost certainly for the last time', and is struck by the 'blackguardism' of much of it compared with Horace and Catullus, though there are 'occasionally exquisite little poems' throughout and the 21th book, written in Spain, is 'far freer from faults, and richer in beauties'; thinks his new wife must have been a good influence, and that he really liked Spain. Very satisfactory about Julian.
8, Grosvenor Crescent, S.W. - Is not going to Egypt, but will come to Bob; will spend from 25-30 January happily at Pisa 'up to the heart in Shelley', then will come on to Ravello; looking forward to seeing Bob there. Will do an 'expedition' to Sicily, especially Syracuse, from there, and hope Bob will come with him; plans to go to Florence when the weather is warmer. Interested to hear how Bob's play progesses; liked "The Mulberry Tree" and 'dear old "phaselus ille" [a translation from Catullus]' very much: Bob should send it to Bowen 'as an alternative for modern side boys [at Harrow] to learn when they are late for dinner'. His own book ["England in the Age of Wycliffe"] will be out in about a month; their father's [the first volume of his "The American Revolution"] has been 'extremely well received'.
86 Walton St, S.W.3. - Thanks Bob for his "Translations [from Latin Poetry]"; thinks Bob's "Michael Angelo" is 'very fine', as is "The Setting of the Moon'; thinks he likes the Propertius best of the translations, and 'Ovid comes off very well'. Remembers Bob's 'retraction' in Eddie's favour of his 'dictum that the Odes were untranslatable', and wishes he could say Bob had changed his own mind about Catullus; afraid he still thinks him 'quite uncapturable', though Bob's "Sirmio" [Catullus 31] is 'charming'. Is 'rather baffled' by Bob's Lucretian hexameters: he seems to 'have coquetted rather half-heartedly with [Robert] Bridges' "Quantities"'. Tiberianus must be an 'enchanting poet'; had never heard of him before. Is sending Bob a 'little book' he 'brought out under duress' the year before last ["Minima", see 15/316], which is 'beautifully produced, but far too expensive'; has just 'salvaged a few copies of the huge "remainder" to give away'. Is proud of his Milton imitations, but the 'rest are nugatory'.
86 Walton St, SW3. - Very much 'enjoyed & admired' Bob's Catullus broadcast; felt it 'must be fulfilling its purpose of showing people who don't know Latin that he is a great poet'. Christopher [Hassall] rang this morning to 'express his delight'; Bob 'had a great success with him' and Eddie hopes it was reciprocal. In spite of the 'disparity [in age]' Christopher is 'one of the greatest friends [Eddie has] ever had' and he thinks 'the world of him'.
86 Walton St, SW3. - Thanks Bob for sending him "From the Shiffolds"; was 'delighted' to re-read so many poems which 'charmed' him when printed privately; did not remember "Willowherb" and asks if it is new. Glad to hear Bob is doing a broadcast on Catullus for his 'dear friend Christopher Hassall', whom he thinks 'is making a very good job of the [BBC] Third Programme'.
British Broadcasting Corporation, Broadcasting House, London, W.1. - Was 'delighted' to get Trevelyan's wire agreeing to write a script on Catullus; will inform John Sparrow this afternoon and knows he will also be pleased. Sparrow will give the first, introductory, talk on 16 August; Rex Warner will deliver a talk on 17 August, which Trevelyan's will follow at 6.25 pm on 27 August. Other programmes in the series will be on Virgil, Horace, and Late and Medieval Latin; Hassall is asking Rose Macaulay to give a final summary talk. Trevelyan's talk to set out Catullus's place in Latin poetry, the character of his work, and contrast with other 'great Latin poets', and 'assess his value to modern times'; it should contain quotations in English; Trevelyan could read these, or inform Hassall if he would like one or two readers and of which sex. Hassall will produce the programme, rehearsals will take place about two and a half hours before transmission, and Trevelyan should send the script at least a fortnight beforehand. Must take care over copyright translations. Will arrange for an official contract to be sent.
Hassall signs his name 'for Patric Dickinson, Drama Department'.